ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A recent addition to Downtown Escanaba offers help and hope to those struggling with their mental health.
Peach Blossom Therapy and Consultation Services, PLLC, celebrated its grand opening earlier this fall. CEO, therapist, and consultant Monica Peach first entered the social work field in 1989.
“I’ve done a number of jobs over the years,” Peach said. “I ended up coming to mental health because I was very tired of traveling and doing home visitation because that is very taxing on the body and the brain.”
Peach decided to pursue a master’s degree, graduating from Michigan State University in 1998.
“I could’ve opened a practice back then, but I ended up staying in agency work in until 2023,” she said.
At the end of July, she opened Peach Blossom Therapy and Consultation Services inside the Ludington Centre. She is happy to be part of Downtown Escanaba and to reach as many people as possible at the location.
“I want to be able to serve the surrounding community, maybe break down a barrier for transportation to therapy,” said Peach.
Peach primarily utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, which she says centers around helping the client to make logical decisions about their feelings and actions.
She explained, “I focus on, ‘Okay, so you’ve made that decision. How well did that turn out? Would you like to have seen a different outcome? If so, how do you think you could’ve gotten there?’ I strongly believe that people have the power within them to make the best decisions they need. It’s really important to remember that everyone has control of their own life, even when they feel like they don’t.”
Peach says she is intentional about the way she speaks with clients.
“I talk a lot about ‘productive’ vs. ‘nonproductive,'” she said. “I avoid using the words ‘good’ and ‘bad,’ because they carry judgment and we’ve had enough of that. We’ve seen where judgment leads. Human beings are diverse, they are varied, and we all have different thinking processes.”
Peach’s office has a home-like feeling, with the walls painted warm orange and red tones. She designed it to be a calming, welcoming environment where clients feel free to express themselves.
“I’m not instantaneously calm sometimes, and I’m a therapist!” she laughed. “We need soothing colors, we need to be able to see the sun, we need to be able to feel the wind on our face.”
Peach hopes her practice can help clients of all ages work through the mental health struggles they are facing.
“I’ve noticed that my generation was very closed emotionally to not only themselves but to other people,” Peach said. “Messages were sent that we are incomplete if we state that we have a mental health issue, and that is so wrong. That’s not how human beings operate. What we need to be able to recognize nowadays is that emotions are part of who we are.”
Peach Blossom Therapy and Consultation Services accepts some insurance providers and is working to get credentialed for more. There is currently a waitlist about a month out for appointments with Peach.
Anyone interested in becoming a client can contact Peach at (906) 233-7333. Peach Blossom Therapy and Consultation Services is open Mondays from 1100 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If you are in need of immediate assistance, contact the Delta County Crisis Line at 1(800) 273-8255.
